JPH10233193A - Electron beam excitated excimer lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact device having a good operability, facilitate measuring work and selectively use desired single color light by providing an electron beam generation means and a substitute means for pulse-driving electron beams produced by pulses sent from a power source device and emitting a light at an optional timing. SOLUTION: A power source device 10 is composed of a pulse generator 10a, a flyback transformer 10b and others. When an optional pulse is provided to a connection part (electrode) 10c connected to the read side of a discharge container 2, an electron gun 3 as the electron beam generation means is actuated by the pulse and then an electron beam is generated. Since excimer light emission is carried out by the electron beam generated by the pulse, a device is made compact and workability such as easy attachment to an installing position is improved. Also, since filled rare gas is replaced by a substitute means 15, a vacuum ultraviolet excimer light is used according to a work situation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention utilizes vacuum ultraviolet rays to cure paints, clean surfaces of plastics and other members, remove static electricity, sterilize the materials, and further use them for spectroscopic measurement, photochemical reaction or spectral scopy measurement. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electron beam-excited excimer lamp that excites a rare gas with an electron beam to form excimer molecules and uses light emitted from the excimer molecules.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, as a vacuum ultraviolet light source, various derivative barrier discharge lamp devices have been proposed in which excimer molecules are formed using dielectric barrier discharge, and light emitted from the excimer molecules is extracted.

[0003] A conventional dielectric barrier discharge lamp device is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-7-169444, in which a discharge vessel filled with a gas for forming an excimer by a dielectric barrier discharge is used. An electrode for performing a dielectric barrier discharge as a discharge gas, a dielectric barrier discharge lamp having a window member for extracting ultraviolet excimer light generated by the dielectric barrier discharge, and a housing for accommodating the dielectric barrier discharge lamp And a frequency converter for converting a commercial frequency to a high frequency, and a power supply device for performing a dielectric barrier discharge including a step-up transformer, wherein the step-up transformer is installed in the immediate vicinity of the dielectric barrier discharge lamp. Or installed in the lamp house.

[0004] Therefore, the high-voltage power supply cable connecting the step-up transformer and the dielectric barrier discharge lamp needs to be short, which facilitates electrical insulation of the high-voltage power supply cable and electromagnetically shields the high-voltage power supply cable. This facilitates the use of the dielectric barrier discharge lamp, which emits less electromagnetic noise radio waves and has high safety.

FIG. 4 shows another conventional dielectric barrier discharge lamp having another structure. That is, the dielectric barrier discharge lamp 50 includes a discharge vessel 51 having a bottomed cylindrical shape, metal electrodes 52 and 53 provided on the outer and inner circumferences of the discharge vessel 51, and a dielectric filled in the discharge vessel 51. A discharge gas 55 for forming excimer molecules by barrier discharge, a light extraction window 56 provided at one end of the discharge vessel 51, and the two metal electrodes 52 and 53.
And a power supply 54 for applying a voltage to the power supply.

[0006] The discharge gas 55 is a mixed gas of xenon and krypton, and the ratio thereof is defined such that xenon / krypton has an atomic ratio of 0.01 to 0.1. This dielectric barrier discharge lamp is of a so-called head-on type, and emits excimer light from the light extraction window 56 side.

[0007]

However, the structure of the conventional dielectric barrier discharge lamp has the following problems.

In the configuration of the dielectric barrier discharge lamp configured to reduce the influence of electromagnetic noise radio waves, the overall configuration of the dielectric barrier discharge lamp becomes large, and it is difficult and inconvenient to perform each operation. Further, even in the configuration of a head-on type dielectric barrier discharge lamp, it has been desired to further reduce the configuration depending on the field to be measured.

The dielectric barrier discharge lamp emits very little visible light, and it is extremely difficult for an operator to determine whether or not the dielectric barrier discharge lamp emits light. It is extremely difficult to irradiate the object to be irradiated with light and synchronize it with the measuring instrument.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is small in size, excellent in workability, can confirm that a lamp emits light during work, and synchronizes with an external signal. An object of the present invention is to provide an electron beam-excited excimer lamp in which the above operation can be easily performed, the intensity of the emission spectrum can be easily changed, and the width of the irradiation light can be freely changed.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a discharge vessel, a vacuum area and a rare gas filled area provided adjacent to the inside of the discharge vessel, and the vacuum vessel. An electron beam generating means for generating an electron beam, an electron window provided at one end of the vacuum area through which electrons generated by the electron beam generating means pass, and a light window provided at one end of the rare gas filled area And an electron beam-excited excimer lamp comprising

The electron beam generating means may be configured to drive the generated electron beam in a pulsed manner by a pulse sent from a power supply device to emit light at an arbitrary timing. A deflecting means for deflecting the direction of the generated electron beam may be provided on the periphery.

Further, the electron beam generating means may have a configuration in which a plurality of electron beam generating means are arranged side by side and emit light in a plane, and the rare gas filled area has a replacing means for replacing the kind of rare gas sealed therein. It is convenient to make a connection.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a principle diagram showing the entire electron beam pumped excimer lamp, FIG. 2 is a principle diagram showing the entire electron beam pumped excimer lamp of the second embodiment, and FIG. 3 shows the principle of an application example of the electron beam pumped excimer lamp. It is a perspective view.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electron beam-excited excimer lamp 1 comprises a discharge vessel 2, a vacuum area 4 formed by dividing the inside of the discharge vessel 2 into two parts, a rare gas filled area 6, and the vacuum area 4. An electron gun 3 provided as an electron beam generating means, an electron window 5 for passing electrons generated from the electron gun 3, and a light window 7 provided at one end of the rare gas filled area 6. And a power supply 10 for applying a high-voltage pulse to the electron gun.

The power supply 10 includes a pulse generator 10a, a flyback transformer 10b, and the like. When an arbitrary pulse is given to the connection part (electrode) 10c connected to the rear side of the discharge vessel 2,
The pulse activates the electron gun 3 to generate an electron beam.

The discharge vessel 2 is made of, for example, a dielectric such as a quartz glass tube, and is formed by separating the vacuum region 4 and the rare gas filled region 6 with a partition plate 8. The vacuum region 4 is surrounded by a rear side wall 2b, an electrode sealing portion 2a, and a partition plate 8. A through hole 8a through which electrons generated from the electron gun 3 can pass is formed at a center position of the partition plate 8, and an electron through which electrons generated by the electron gun 3 can pass through the through hole 8a. A window 5 is provided. further,
The rare gas filled area 6 includes the partition plate 8 and the front side wall 2.
c and the light window plate 9.
A through hole 9a is formed at the center of the light window plate 9, and the light window 7 is provided in the through hole 9a.

The electron window 5 is formed of a member through which electrons generated by the electron gun 3 can pass, for example, a member such as SiN ₄ (silicon nitride), SiC (silicon carbide), or Ti (titanium). Have been. The electronic window 5 is
Other members may be used as long as they can appropriately pass electrons generated by the electron gun 3 and excite a rare gas described later with the passed electrons. The light window 7 provided on the center side of the light window plate 9 is preferably made of a member such as MgF ₂ (magnesium fluoride) or CaF ₂ (calcium fluoride).

In the rare gas filled region 6, as a rare gas capable of emitting excimer light, for example, He (helium), Ne (neon), Ar (argon), Kr (krypton), Xe (xenon), ArF (Argon fluoride), KrF (krypton fluoride), XeCl (xenon chloride), XeF (xenon fluoride), and a mixed gas of the above-mentioned rare gases are sealed.

Therefore, when the electrons generated from the electron gun 3 are accelerated in the vacuum region 4 and pass through the electron window 5, the electrons excite the rare gas to generate excimer light emission. From the vacuum ultraviolet excimer light.

Since the vacuum ultraviolet excimer light can be extracted at an arbitrary time by transmitting a pulse from the power supply device 10, it is ensured that the vacuum ultraviolet excimer light is synchronized with the measuring instrument on the side that measures by irradiating the vacuum ultraviolet excimer light. Thus, synchronization with an external signal can be easily achieved.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, it is convenient that a replacement means 15 which can replace the rare gas from the outside can be connected to the position where the rare gas is sealed.
That is, the replacement means 15 is connected to the rare gas cylinder 15a which seals each rare gas, the connection pipe 15b and each valve 15c for connecting the rare gas cylinder 15a, and the predetermined position of the connection pipe 15b via the valve 15c. And a pressure gauge 15d connected to the connection pipe 15b. The distal end of the connection pipe 15b is connected to the rare gas filled region 6. Replacement means 15 described above
, The type of rare gas can be exchanged, thereby making it easy to select monochromatic light of vacuum ultraviolet excimer light.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the electron beam excited excimer lamp 21 is provided in a discharge vessel 22, a vacuum region 24 formed by dividing the inside of the discharge container 22 into two parts, a rare gas filled region 26, and the vacuum region 24. An electron gun 23 as an electron beam generating means, an electron window 25 for passing electrons generated from the electron gun 23, an optical window 27 provided at one end of the rare gas filled area 26, A deflecting device 36 provided on the outer periphery of the rare gas filled region 26,
It comprises a power supply device 30 for giving a high voltage pulse to the electron gun.

In the discharge vessel 22, a vacuum region 24 and a rare gas filled region 26 are formed by a partition plate 38 and a partition plate 3 thereof.
8 is divided by an electronic window 35 provided in a through hole 38a formed on the center side of FIG. The rare gas filled region 26 has a spatial size for moving the direction of electrons passing through the electron window 35 up, down, left, and right, and contains a rare gas capable of emitting excimer light. ,
For example, He (helium), Ne (neon), Ar (argon), Kr (krypton), Xe (xenon), A
A mixed gas of rF (argon fluoride), KrF (krypton fluoride), XeCl (xenon chloride), XeF (xenon fluoride), and the above-mentioned rare gas is sealed.

The rare gas filled region 26 is formed as a light window plate 29 at a position facing the partition plate 38.
One end of the side wall 22a is formed to be supported by the support plate 28. A through hole 29a is formed in the light window plate 29, a light window 27 is provided in the through hole 29a, and a vacuum ultraviolet excimer light excited by electrons passing through the electron window 28 is passed therethrough. And

The deflecting device 36 is provided with a deflecting coil 36a on the base end side of the side wall 22a of the rare gas filled region 26. A current is caused to flow through the deflecting coil 36a to generate a magnetic field. , The electrons are deflected vertically and horizontally.

The power supply device 30 includes a pulse generator 30a, a flyback transformer 30b, and the like, and generates electrons from the electron gun 33 by supplying a high-voltage pulse to the electron gun 33.

Therefore, a pulse is supplied from the power supply device 30 and electrons generated from the electron gun 23 are converted into the vacuum region 24.
When the electrons are accelerated and pass through the electron window 25, the electrons are swung and spread by the deflecting device 36, and the vacuum ultraviolet excimer light emitted from the surface is emitted from the light window 37 to excite the rare gas. .

Since the vacuum ultraviolet excimer light can be extracted at an arbitrary time by transmitting a pulse from a power supply device, the vacuum ultraviolet excimer light can be reliably synchronized with the measuring instrument on the side that measures by irradiating the vacuum ultraviolet excimer light. It becomes possible.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, it is convenient that a replacement means 25 capable of replacing the rare gas from the outside can be connected to the position where the rare gas is sealed. That is, the replacement means 25 includes a rare gas cylinder 25a in which each rare gas is sealed, a connection pipe 25b and each valve 25c, a vacuum pump 25e, a pressure gauge 25d, and the like. The distal end of the connection pipe 12 is connected to the side wall 22c of the rare gas filled region 26.

The electron beam pumped excimer lamp having the above-described structure is, as shown in FIG.
In addition, a plurality of portions of the vacuum region 24 having the electron gun 23 are arranged in parallel, a deflecting device 36 is provided on the periphery of the rare gas filled region 46, and a partition plate 48 provided according to the size of the rare gas filled region 46. And a light window 49, and the partition plate 4
A through hole 48a through which electrons can pass may be formed at a predetermined position 8 and an electron window (see FIG. 2) may be provided in the through hole 48. Thus, the plurality of electron guns 2
By deflecting the electron beam generated by 3 with the deflecting device 36, it is possible to extract the extracted vacuum ultraviolet excimer light as a larger surface emission.

The electron beam excitation excimer lamp having the structure shown in FIG. 3 is also provided with a rare gas replacement device 25 as shown in FIG. 2 so that the magnitude of the ultraviolet wavelength for excimer emission can be converted. .

[0033]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following excellent effects. The electron beam excited excimer lamp is excellent in workability because it can be formed in a small size because the excimer emission is performed by an electron beam generated by a pulse, and can be easily attached to an installation position. In addition, by using a pulse on the power supply side that generates an electron beam, synchronization with the device on the measurement side can be easily obtained, and the measurement operation becomes easy.

The electron beam excitation excimer lamp can irradiate surface emitting vacuum ultraviolet excimer light by freely deflecting the electron beam generated from the electron beam generating means by a deflecting device. Also, by arranging a plurality of electron beam generating means in parallel, it is possible to irradiate a larger surface emitting vacuum ultraviolet excimer light.

The electron-beam-excited excimer lamp has a configuration in which the enclosed rare gas is replaced by a replacement means, so that a desired monochromatic light can be selectively used, and the vacuum ultraviolet excimer light can be selectively used in accordance with the working conditions. Can be used.

In an electron beam excitation excimer lamp, a pulse is supplied to an electron beam generating means, so that generated electrons can excite a rare gas and irradiate vacuum ultraviolet excimer light, so that the full width at half maximum of the vacuum ultraviolet excimer light is reduced. 1
Since the wavelength is about 0 nm to 20 nm, the rising and falling edges have a steep waveform, which eliminates the adverse effects of the extra radiation spectrum on the irradiated object or the sample to be measured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram showing a configuration of an electron beam excited excimer lamp of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a principle diagram showing a configuration of a second embodiment of the electron beam excited excimer lamp of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partially sectional perspective view showing a configuration of an application example of the electron beam excited excimer lamp of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a principle view showing a configuration of a conventional dielectric barrier discharge lamp.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Excimer lamp excited by an electron beam 2 Discharge vessel 2a Electrode sealing part 2b Rear side wall 2c Front side wall 3 Electron gun (electron beam generating means) 4 Vacuum area 5 Window for electron 6 Rare gas filled area 7 Window for light 8 Partition Plate 9 Optical window plate 10 Power supply device 10a Pulse generator 10b Flyback transformer 10c Electrode 15 Replacement means 15a Rare gas cylinder 15b Connection pipe 15c Valve 15d Pressure gauge 15e Vacuum pump

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A discharge vessel, a vacuum area and a rare gas filled area provided adjacent to the inside of the discharge vessel, an electron beam generating means for generating an electron beam provided in the vacuum area, and an electron beam generating means. An electron beam-excited excimer lamp, comprising: an electron window provided at one end of the vacuum region through which electrons generated by the electron beam pass, and an optical window provided at one end of the rare gas filled region. 2. An electron beam excitation excimer according to claim 1, wherein said electron beam generating means drives the generated electron beam in a pulsed manner by a pulse sent from a power supply device and emits light at an arbitrary timing. lamp. 3. An electron beam-excited excimer lamp according to claim 1, wherein a deflecting means for deflecting a direction of the generated electron beam is provided at a periphery of said discharge vessel. 4. An electron beam-excited excimer lamp according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said electron beam generating means are arranged side by side to emit surface light. 5. An electron beam-excited excimer lamp according to claim 1, wherein a replacement means for replacing a type of the rare gas sealed therein is connected to said rare gas sealed region.